The <a href="http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/04/serpentine_gallery_pavillion_2011_zumthor.html">2011 Serpentine Pavilion</a> opened this past weekend, and we've just received a beautiful new set of photos by <a href="http://www.danicakus.com/">Danica Kus</a> showcasing Peter Zumthor's sensory design. The <a href="http://www.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/23680/exclusive-zumthor-for-serpentine-pavilion-2011/">2011 pavilion</a> is a quiet contemplation of nature framed in a jet-black box. The structure plays with the senses, first absorbing all light and then opening up to a courtyard brimming with vivid plants. <a href="http://inhabitat.com/peter-zumthor-unveils-sheltered-garden-for-2011-serpentine-pavilion/">The Pavilion</a> will stay open until October 16th, offering Londoners a quiet sun-filled retreat.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

The pavilion is <a href="http://www.tnr.com/article/76608/place-grace">classic Zumthor</a> in its minimalism and modernist restraint.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

The twist is in how the building pushes the envelope through subtractive design -- it reduces aesthetic fetters and even light itself.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

Visitors are confronted with a simple black box with several entrances.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

A dark hallway proceeds toward sunlight at the end, which opens to the inner <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-roofed-cluny-house-embodies-low-energy-luxury-in-singapore/">courtyard</a>.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

At this point the true meaning of the space is revealed - a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hortus_conclusus">hortus conclusus</a> fuses building and nature with a flourish of plants and insects.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

The garden, created by Dutch landscape designer <a href="http://www.oudolf.com/piet-oudolf" target="_blank">Piet Oudolf</a>, is the building's contemplative centerpiece. Its 250 square meters are planted with a great variety of flowering plants chosen for their size, color, and fragrance.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

The roof angles into the courtyard to provide views of the sky and reduce the building’s profile.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

Peter Zumthor surveys the completed Serpentine Pavilion.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

Seating is set along the shaded perimeter to let visitors sit while absorbing the richness of the environs and the quality of senses set against the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/archive-super-shiny-half-size-pavilion-for-artists-reflects-its-own-environment/">blank slate</a> of the surrounding walls.

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

The pavilion’s materials are as minimal as its design - a timber core wrapped in plywood. The plywood is covered is tar and burlap to absorb light and maintain a simple, organic texture.

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Serpentine Gallery Pavilion Peter Zumthor

Every year London's <a href="http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/04/serpentine_gallery_pavillion_2011_zumthor.html">Serpentine Gallery</a> grants the winner of the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/peter-zumthor-wins-the-pritzker-prize/">Pritzker Prize</a> the opportunity to design a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-10th-annual-serpentine-gallery-by-jean-nouvel-opens-this-week/">temporary pavilion</a> on its grounds for a summer exploration of contemporary art and design.

<a href="http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/06/2011-serpentine-pavilion-by-Peter-Zumthor-6.jpg"></a><em>Photo by <a href="http://www.danicakus.com/">Danica Kus</a></em>
The pavilion is <a href="http://www.tnr.com/article/76608/place-grace">classic Zumthor</a> in its minimalism and modernist restraint, but the twist is in how the building pushes the envelope through subtractive design -- it reduces aesthetic fetters and even light itself. Visitors are confronted with a simple black box with several entrances. A dark hallway proceeds toward sunlight at the end, which opens to the inner <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-roofed-cluny-house-embodies-low-energy-luxury-in-singapore/">courtyard</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/peter-zumthor-unveils-2011-serpentine-pavilion-with-a-secret-garden/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

<a href="http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/06/2011-serpentine-pavilion-by-Peter-Zumthor-6.jpg"></a><em>Photo by <a href="http://www.danicakus.com/">Danica Kus</a></em>
The pavilion is <a href="http://www.tnr.com/article/76608/place-grace">classic Zumthor</a> in its minimalism and modernist restraint, but the twist is in how the building pushes the envelope through subtractive design -- it reduces aesthetic fetters and even light itself. Visitors are confronted with a simple black box with several entrances. A dark hallway proceeds toward sunlight at the end, which opens to the inner <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-roofed-cluny-house-embodies-low-energy-luxury-in-singapore/">courtyard</a>....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/peter-zumthor-unveils-2011-serpentine-pavilion-with-a-secret-garden/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Peter Zumthor

The 2011 Serpentine Pavilion opened this past weekend, and we've just received a beautiful new set of photos by Danica Kus showcasing Peter Zumthor's sensory design. The 2011 pavilion is a quiet contemplation of nature framed in a jet-black box. The structure plays with the senses, first absorbing all light and then opening up to a courtyard brimming with vivid plants. The Pavilion will stay open until October 16th, offering Londoners a quiet sun-filled retreat.